Pre-moistened disposable wipes are known in the art for delivering various types of compositions, such as lotions, medications, cleaning agents, and so forth. These products are typically supplied in a rolled or stacked configuration within a container, with all of the wipes having been wetted with the desired composition prior to being loaded into the container. Refill packs of the pre-moistened wipes are often provided for subsequent insertion into the container, and are typically embodied as a sealed liquid impermeable package of the wipes.
Conventional pre-moistened wipe systems also generally require substantial and relatively expensive packaging to ensure that the wipes retain the fluid composition over prolonged periods of time prior to actual use of the individual wipes. Also, the user is required to grasp the wipe to remove it from the wipe container. This generally results in at least some of the composition being transferred to the user's hands, a consequence that is not desirable in all situations, particularly if the composition is a harsh cleaning agent or may stain or dye the user's skin. Also, it is often the situation that a relatively large container of the wipes must be transported and stored when only a single or few wipes are needed.
Another type of disposable product used to deliver a desired composition are tubular or mitt type structures that fit onto a user's finger(s) or hand. These devices are typically used for applying ointments, medications, alcohol, oral anesthetics, and the like, to various body parts, or may be utilized to remove various substances, such as makeup, or to clean body parts or other objects. The finger devices are sometimes referred to as “finger wipes” or “finger covers” and have proven particularly useful in the field of dental hygiene in that they provide a portable and efficient means for more frequent dental care, and as a cleaning device that can be easily used in public. In particular, a number of finger wipes have been developed that can be placed over a finger and wiped over the teeth and gums. These devices are typically small, portable, and disposable.
Examples of dental hygiene finger wipes are disclosed, for instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,721,987 to McDevitt, et al. and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,647,549 also to McDevitt, et al., which are incorporated herein by reference. An oral hygiene finger device is also described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,825 to Copelan et al. Finger-mounted dental wipes have been developed to contain an elastomeric material to help prevent the device from slipping or falling off the user's finger during cleaning. Examples of such teeth cleaning devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,068,941 to Dunn; U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,153 to Cole; U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,764 to Kaufman et al.; and PCT Publication No. WO 95/31154 to Mittiga et al.
Finger wipes that incorporate an integral additive or composition, such as an oral hygiene agent, lotion, cleaning agent, and the like, are a convenient and desirable product. However, it may be difficult to incorporate an adequate supply of the desired composition with conventional finger wipe constructions, or to ensure that the composition is not exposed or delivered prematurely. Consumers often resort to using multiple wipes to achieve a desired application of the composition, or apply an externally carried container of the composition, such as a small tube of toothpaste, to the finger wipe after initial use of the wipe.
Thus, the art is continuously seeking improved systems and methods to provide consumers with disposable articles, such as wipes, towels, finger wipes, and the like, that are supplied with any manner of desired composition prior to use. The present invention provides just such an improvement.